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M. R. BISSELL.

CARPET SWBBPER. p No. 329,257. Patented Oct. 27, 1885.

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M. R. BVISAS'ELL. CARPET SWEEPER.

No. 329,257. Patented 00h. 27, 1885,.

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M; R'. BISSBLL.

CARPET SWEBPER';

No'. 329,257. muted ont. 27,'185.

` limitan hrarns j 'ernaar @ritieni MELVlLLE R. BISSELL, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

CARPET-SWEEPERl SPECEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 329,257, dated October 27, 1885.

Application filed May 9, 1884. Serial No. 130,915. (Model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern: i

Be it known that I, MELvrLLE R. BrssELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Oarpet-Sweepers, of which the following is a specification.

rIhe first part of this invention relates to improvements in the carpet-sweeper for which application for Letters Patent was filed on the 18th day of February, 1884, by YV. J. Drew, assignor to the Bissell Carpet Sweeper Company, and has for its objects to simplify the mounting or support of the friction-driven wheel, whereby it is constantly pressed into direct frictional contact with the friction drivewheel; to provide more simple means for automatieally throwing the propelling handle upright or upward when released by the hands, and to provide more simple means for balancing the weight of the sweeper case or frame on the drive-wheels when the `handle is lowered to manipulate the sweeper.

The second part of the invention relates to improvements in the construction of acarpetsweeper, and has for its objects to provide novel and efficient means to prevent the escape of dust from under the sweeper when operating on a tile or bare floor, and cushioning the sweeper to avoid undue noise in sweeping a tile or bare floor, and to provide novel and simple mechanism for bodily raising or lowering the sweeper case or frame to adjust the position ofthe brush relative to the floor.

The objects of my invention l accomplish in the manner and by the means hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective View of a carpetsweeper embodying my invention, the propelling-handle being lowered as when in use; Fig. 2, au end elevation showing the propelling-handle lowered in full lines and elevated in dotted lines; Fig. 3, an end elevation showing a modified means for placing the drivingbelt under tension; Fig. 4, a bottom plan View of the sweeper-bottom, and Fig. 5a transverse central sectional View of the sweeper.

The sweeper case or frame 1 may be of any usual construction, except in the particulars hereinafter described and claimed, as may also be the revolving brush-shaft 2 and the dust pan or pans 3. To the side of the case are rigidly attached two brackets, 4, having perforations in their outer ends,through which passes a shaft, 5, the ends whereof' project beyond the brackets to receive the loosely-revolving friction drive-wheels 6 6, which are respectively in direct contact with the frictiondriven wheels 7 7, arranged on an axle, 9, having a grooved pulley, l0. The ends of the axle are journaled to rotate in bearings 11 at the outer ends of curved spring-plates 12, the other ends of the plates being securely attached to the sweeper-case. As here shown, these plates curve uniformly downward, outward, and upward to forni an approximatelysemieircular shape, and the inherent elasticity of the plates is such that the driven wheels are Vconstantly pressed upon the drive-wheels to insure the proper rotation of the driven wheels to revolve the brush-shaft by a beltconnection, 13, between the pulley l() and the brush-shaft. The driving-belt in Figs. 1 and 2 is held under tension or tightened to secure the requisite power to revolve the brushshaft by a grooved wheel, 14, having an axle, the ends of which are loosely mounted in bearings 15 at the outer ends of two uniformly-curved arms, 16, secured at their other ends to the sweeper-case. The tendency of the spring-arms is to press the wheel downward upon the driving-belt, thereby maintaining the same under proper tension. To `increase the frictional contact between the drive and driven wheels, the former or the latter, or all, may be provided with soft-rubber tires. The driving-wheels are, as shown, about twice the diameter of the driven wheels, whereby the latter are rapidly driven by oomparatively slow revolutions of the drivingwheels, thus imparting considerable speed to the brush-shaft bya slow-traveling movement of the sweeper on the iloor. The propellinghandle 17 is attached to a bail, the arms 18 of which have eyes 19 at their ends, loosely mounted on the shaft 5, adjacent to the brackets 4. To each arm of the bail is secured one end of a spring, 20, the other end of which is connected with the sweeper-case or some fixed part thereof, the tendency of the springs bcing to maintain. the propelling-handle in an IOO i upright position, as in Fig. 2. It' the handle be depressed, the tension of the springs is increased, and the weight of the sweeper-case thereby nicelybalanced on the driving-wheels,

vcausing the sweeper to run light and easy,

strip projects outward from the bottom wall of the dust-pan, thus constituting a duplex guard or protector to each pan, which prevents the escape of dust from beneath the sweeper when operating on tile or bare floors, while such duplex guard also subserves the function of cushioning the sweeper from such tile or bare floor. I have shown two dust-pans, but a single dust-pan can in some instances be used; but a duplex flexible guard of the character described will be arranged along the edge or near the edge of the opening through which the brush operates. The inside of the front wall of the sweeper case, at or near the center thereof, is provided with a recess, 25, in which is arranged awheel, 26, journaled in the forked end 27 of a stem, 28, passing npwardly through an opening in a bracket or support, 29, secured to the sweeper-case. In the top wall of the sweeper-case is a screwthreaded opening, 30,`containing a tubular screw, 8l, into which the upper end of the stem 28 projects tobear against the head of the screw, or a plug arranged in said screw. By turning the screw in one direction the sweeper case or frame is caused to rise or be adj usted away from the floor,while if the screw be turned in the opposite direction the case will be lowered or adjusted toward the ioor. This provides simple and efcient means whereby the position of the brush relative to the floor can be conveniently changed, as occasion may demand, `besides which the wheel affords a rolling bearing .for the sweeper-case.

I do not confine myself to the particular curve of the spring-plates carrying the driven wheels, nor to any specic number of driving and driven wheels, nor to any particular ar- In Fig. 3 I showa different means for holdl ing the driving-belt tight or under tension, to secure the requisite power to revolve the brush-shaft, such means consisting of a spiral or other spring, 32, interposed between and connecting the ends of the band composin the driving-belt.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim is- 1. Thecombination, with the case or frame and the brush shaft, of the friction drivewheels, the curved spring-plates carried at their inner ends by the case, the aXlejournaled in the outer ends of thespring-plates and provided with friction-driven wheels held in direct contact with the drive-wheels, and a beltconnection between the axle of the driven wheels and the brush-shaft, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the sweeper-case, the friction drive-wheels, the axle for said wheels carried by the case, the propellinghandle loosely hung on the axle, and the springs connected at one end with the case and at the other end with the handle, and acting to throw the handle to an upright position and to balance the sweepercase when the handle is depressed, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the sweeper case and the revolving brush-shaft journaled therein, ofthe dust-pans arranged in front and rear of the brush-shaft, and each having its bottom wall provided with a iiexible duplex dustgnard, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the sweeper-case and the revolving brush-shaft, of the dust-pan having its bottom wall longitudinally grooved and the duplex iiexible dust-guard secured in said groove, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

, MELVILLE R. BISSELL.

Witnesses:-

EDWARD TAGGART, FRED W. STEVENS. 

